Lean Challengehttps://www.iecieeechallenge.org
Challenge your Lean thinkingMon, 25 Sep 2017 20:35:17 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4What is Gemba & How it Can Benefit Your Facilityhttps://www.iecieeechallenge.org/what-is-gemba-how-it-can-benefit-your-facility/
Mon, 25 Sep 2017 20:35:17 +0000http://www.iecieeechallenge.org/?p=1173The word gemba is a Japanese term that is used as part of many industries manufacturing strategies. The term means ‘The Real Place.’ The concept behind a gemba strategy is that supervisors, manager, and others who may be in charge of different areas need to be spending time in ‘the real place’ where the work gets done.

In a manufacturing facility, for example, a supervisor following gemba techniques will want to spend a significant amount of their time actually on the work floor. This will allow him or her to interact directly with employees, see what they do and how they do it. During this time they will be able to discover potential problems, listen to proposed solutions, and much more.

There are a variety of ways to incorporate the ideas behind gemba in most workplaces. Taking the time to learn more about gemba by reading books, articles, and taking training classes is a great way to learn more about the different options within the gemba methodology. The most common option is known as conducting a gemba walk.

Completing a Gemba Walk

As the name would imply, a gemba walk is when a supervisor or other individual walks through the different work areas to get a good understanding of what is going on. This is an excellent opportunity for leaders to take the time to identify safety hazards, learn how different pieces of machinery work, evaluate the conditions of machines, ask questions about processes, and generally learn how things are done.

Gemba walks should produce a great overview of what is going on in the workplace, and offer management great insights into where there may be improvement opportunities. The gemba walk is considered to be one of the 5 lean guiding principles that make up the overall lean management philosophy.

Each facility will have a different standard, but in general, gemba walks should be completed as often as once per day. At a minimum, supervisors should be completing this task several times per week so they are always keeping up with the way things are running on a day to day basis. This will also help to ensure they don’t have any surprises should something go wrong in the workplace.

Gemba Walk Checklist

While getting out to the shop floor is the most important thing about the gemba concept, it can be even more effective if you know what types of things should be watched for. To accomplish this, it is important for supervisors or others to complete a gemba walk checklist.

A checklist should evolve over time based on what types of things a facility needs to look at, and what the goals are. In general, the checklist can include things like the current status of machines, checking employee productivity, spending time at specific areas, and much more. Breaking down the checklist into as many areas as possible can help to gather very detailed information that will be very useful.

Gemba Walk Template

In addition to a gemba walk checklist, many people will use a gemba walk template, which can accomplish the same things. A template may offer additional flexibility to the people doing the walks so that they can get the information they need. In addition, a template typically has more room for documenting the thoughts or concerns of an area, rather than just checking ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on a checklist.

The following is a simple example of a template. It shows different areas of information that should be documented while going through the gemba walk itself. There is plenty of room for adding additional information or ideas along the way. Depending on the facility and other factors, each area may have its own template to help get the most benefit out of each gemba walk.

Benefits of the Gemba Walk Process

When considering adding gemba concepts to the workplace, it is important to understand the benefits that it can provide. Documenting the benefits of this type of process can also help with implementation because it will let everyone know what it is that they are looking for and how they should conduct the gemba walk.

Review the following benefits of a gemba walk and see how it will fit into specific work environments:

First Hand Knowledge – There is simply no substitute for gathering information first hand. When a supervisor takes the time to walk through a work area, they can see what is actually happening rather than relying on others to pass along the information, which is biased in some way.

Interact with Employees – Taking the time to interact with employees will help to build a strong relationship, and provide opportunities for learning about what they like and don’t like about specific processes.

Build Morale – Working directly with the employees and spending time in their work areas can help show them that the company actually cares how things are going. When done properly, this can lead to improved morale for employees throughout an organization.

Improved Facility Safety – By making an effort to get out and really watch what is going on, it will be possible to identify safety concerns before any accidents or injuries occur. This will help to improve the overall facility safety.

Standard Processes – When a supervisor is taking the time to really get to know how things are done, they will be better able to standardize processes. This is especially useful when a company is running multiple shifts on the same jobs.

Continuous Improvement – When going out each day to monitor the way things are getting done, improvement opportunities will naturally present themselves. Because of this, the gemba process is one of the best options for companies that are looking to maintain continuous improvement in their facilities.

Tips for an Effective Gemba Walk

Performing an effective gemba walk is more than just taking a clipboard with a template on it and walking through the facility. Supervisors should have a good idea of what it is that they want to accomplish during these events so that they aren’t just using it as a time to talk with employees (not that there is anything wrong with that) and not gather the proper information.

The following tips are an excellent place to start when it comes to conducting a proper gemba walk in most facilities:

Where to Walk – It isn’t enough to just walk through any work area of the facility. Supervisors should intentionally pick out the locations where they will conduct their walks to get the best information possible. Gemba is the most important location for the team, so when performing walks for the first time, the area where the most work is conducted should be where the most time is spent.

Who is Walking – While the direct supervisor over a specific area should be the one conducting the walks most often, it is best if members of all levels of management participate as well. Gemba is most effective when all of the management team participates to the extent that it is possible.

When to Conduct the Walk – Choosing the right time for a gemba walk is critical. Finding times when things could go wrong, such as the busiest time of the day, is a great opportunity to find improvement opportunities. Shift turnover times are another good place to start. Ideally, the gemba walk should be conducted unexpectedly, at least some of the time, so employees are performing everything normally.

What to Look for – Knowing what to look for is perhaps the most important thing when conducting a gemba walk. Some things are obvious, such as workflow slowdowns, machine maintenance needs, and more. Other items may take a more careful eye. Looking at job processes is a good option since it may be possible to find process improvement opportunities.

Taking Notes – Taking notes is an essential part of any gemba walk. These can’t just be general notes about what is seen or done, however. Using a template, take notes on things like what potential improvement opportunities there are, what employees are saying about the jobsite, any thoughts or feelings about a specific area, and more. These notes will be used to begin the improvement process for the facility so it is important to have as much as possible available to review.

These tips will be a good place to start, especially for those who are performing a gemba walk for the first time. As members of management teams get used to performing these walks, they will become like second nature.

Once the gemba walk is completed, it is important to take all the information gathered and compile it in such a way that it can be used to plan and implement effective change. At its heart, gemba is a process improvement and waste elimination process, so what happens after the walk is over is nearly as essential as the walk itself.

Gemba Management

When it comes to gemba management, the leadership teams can be hesitant to adopt the gemba walk process. Many people initially see it as a waste of time to walk through the work areas each day, or on a regular schedule. Many managers have made comments that they have people and reports that can provide them with all this type of information.

Once management teams actually start getting out to the place where work is done, they invariably learn more about the people and processes than they ever thought possible. One of the best things about active gemba management concepts like this is that they have been proven effective by thousands of employers around the world.

There is really no doubt that managers who take the time to perform gemba walks on a regular basis are going to be more effective than those who just sit behind their desk, even if they have an ‘open door policy.’ In fact, managers who perform these types of tasks are more likely to see their employees take advantage of an open door policy since they will have already gotten to know the manager, and feel more comfortable bringing concerns to them.

While there is no doubt that gemba will take some getting used to in most situations, it is well worth the effort. Once management teams are comfortable with the process, they almost always like the insights it is able to provide, and the environment of constant improvement that it fosters.

Gemba Training

As with any new strategy, it is important to make sure everyone receives the proper training to get the most out of the process. Providing everyone who is on the management team with a good overview of what gemba is, and how it can help the organization, is an important first step.

Some facilities take it a step further by having even the front line employees take some type of training class about gemba. By informing all employees about what gemba is and how it can help the facility, they are going to be more likely to help the process to succeed.

Employees who understand the goals of a supervisor who is on a gemba walk are going to be more likely to point out a potential hazard, a process improvement opportunity, or any number of other things along the way. This will help to ensure everyone in the facility is on the same page and working toward the same goals at all times.

One of the easiest ways to introduce people to gemba, and how it can help to identify and eliminate waste in the workplace, is to request the free ‘Introduction to Gemba’ guide that is offered from Creative Safety Supply. This guide can be given to employees to help them to understand what gemba is, the four steps to using gemba walks successfully, a good example of a gemba walk schedule, and much more.

Once employees have gone through this guide, they will be ready to begin implementing gemba strategies in their own departments right away. There are other training options available that can help to further provide insights into what gemba is, why it is important, and how it will help a given facility.

]]>The Benefits of Lean Manufacturinghttps://www.iecieeechallenge.org/the-benefits-of-lean-manufacturing/
Tue, 04 Oct 2016 18:08:03 +0000http://www.iecieeechallenge.org/?p=1170As a management philosophy, lean manufacturing is all about continuous elimination and reduction of waste in the production and business processes. Small, incremental improvements constantly take place in an organization so that it helps lower costs, increase productivity and maintain top quality products. All these things could be achieved along with profits, and at the same time, put waste to a minimum. For the most part, lean manufacturing has the Japanese improvement principle, kaizen, at its core. However, lean manufacturing is founded solidly as a production standard that represents both just-in-time (JIT) production and autonomation.

To better understand this, JIT is about producing only the quantity required to be manufactured for a given period. On the other hand, autonomation or automation with a human touch is putting in place machines that would stop operating as soon as errors are detected. In both methods, wastes in production are eliminated, and hence, lean manufacturing is a principle that many industries live by in the past few decades. More so, it is also about giving utmost consideration to customer value and ensuring that the values reflect what an organization produces. When viewed as a business improvement philosophy, gears are shifted so that the actual products and services rendered are the results of what the market demands or desires.

In any business, waste is anything that is not needed, expensive, time-consuming, unsafe and defective. Many more things fall under waste, but to sum up, wastes according to Japanese lean manufacturing expert Taiichi Ohno are overproduction, excess labor, unnecessary transportation and human motion, over processing and inventory, waiting time, defects and unused spaces.

With lean manufacturing in place, these wastes could be eliminated. For example, there would be less labor expense when only needed people are working. The whole workplace area will be maximized, and there will be very little need for transportation. At the same time, unnecessary motion among employees will be eliminated. Hence, they become more efficient at what they do and focus on producing top quality output. Inventory frequency could also be lowered, along with breakdowns in machines, vehicles and processes. In all these, there would be higher customer satisfaction and profits.

We discuss in detail below how all these benefits would take place.

Improved financial impact

With lean manufacturing, those involved in the accounting routines of an organization will definitely find things more manageable. As opposed to having a lot of stock, which costs money in terms of storage and movement, there would be less stock and corresponding expenses that come with it. Note that stock mean inventory and this would need use of space, and additional expenses related to handling equipment and damage. But savings can be had and this is because lean manufacturing eliminates inventory, and lessens the workload of accountants. This would be a welcome financial impact on any business. In addition, customer satisfaction is going to be the end-result, as more and more clients come in along with returning customers. Only positive financial impact will be a company’s experience with lean manufacturing. It’s like hitting many birds with a single stone because spaces and human resources are well maximized, target market is captured, inventory is reduced, and then costs are reduced greatly.

Improved efficiency

Any industry desires a safer work environment where the employees can carry on their tasks quickly and produce the best output. Such efficiency can be achieved in lean manufacturing, foremost because problems in the processes are eliminated. Issues at hand are immediately investigated and solutions are readily put in place. Implementing root cause analysis is vital to the lean principle, and thus, any problem gets the level of attention it needs to be corrected right away. To improve efficiency, businesses can also reduce space needed for completed and raw inventory. They can also improve workplace safety and security. Doing all these things would lead to to greater efficiency in the overall processes within the workplace or business.

Improved product quality

It’s every organization’s target to only produce the best. This is why most would opt to follow the single-piece flow in their business process, and hence, they can achieve top quality output, be it in services or products. In lean manufacturing, issues of quality are faced right then and there. There are problem-solving techniques for any concern in the production process that is determined to cause defects and flaws in the product. The recurrence of such mistakes is prevented, and potential quality issues can be quickly and rightfully addressed as they occur.

Improved labor situation

The workplace situation will be greatly improved when lean manufacturing is implemented, mostly because the process and people involved follow standards. The repeatability and consistency and immediate corrections of any observed flaws create positive outcomes. As everything becomes standardized, there is less manpower required, and the processes can be done efficiently even with fewer workers. As for those freed from the previously over-staffed tasks, they could be trained to enhance skill levels for different purposes so that there’s no need to hire new employees. The retention of this group of employees would also mean fewer costs and effort at training newcomers. It further translates to easier management of the whole workforce, which, as a whole, is totally involved in the lean manufacturing principles.

Competition in any industry these days is getting tougher by the day. Companies must be constantly changing and developing methods to ensure they stay at the top of their game. It’s not just about producing the best product for the customers, but it’s also about ensuring commitment of the key players to sustain business success. In this way, any organization will achieve their goals of growth, profits and longevity in the industry.

]]>How to Select a Good Six Sigma Projecthttps://www.iecieeechallenge.org/how-to-select-a-good-six-sigma-project/
Tue, 13 Sep 2016 18:56:13 +0000http://www.iecieeechallenge.org/?p=1166In any organization, there will always be problems and issues. It’s a part of the overall process of doing work, and so are the responses put in place to address them. This is why many popular improvement methods and systems abound because they are available for any organization that might need them. One of the favored process improvement methods is Six Sigma, a set of procedures developed two decades ago by Motorola.

The Six Sigma initiative is used in many industrial sectors today, aiding various companies in the identification and removal of the root causes of defects in their processes. More specifically in lean manufacturing, Six Sigma helps minimize variability by using a group of quality management methods and tools. When implemented, each Six Sigma project follows a clearly defined order of activity, and at all times, has specific value targets. These targets could be decreasing how long an activity takes, reducing costs, achieving higher customer satisfaction or profits, or waste or pollution elimination.

Selecting the project is the key responsibility of the business’ leadership. As resources need to be used in the most cost-efficient manner, it is important to set priorities on choosing Six Sigma projects, specifically when they are needed for process improvement.

With its unique and specific purpose, the question at hand is: how should an organization select a good Six Sigma project?

The general rule here is if the problem’s solution is known or identified, it cannot be a Six Sigma project. For example, periodic replacement of computers or implementing new safety measures are problems for which responses are already identified. Innovation projects such as the need to improve a product or create a new one would also not need the Six Sigma project. Basically, issues where answers are readily available would not need the Six Sigma approach. For it to be implemented, the solutions should be unknown, unlike in general improvement projects.

Now we come to the selection of a good Six Sigma project – and how to go about the process.

First, the proposed project should provide a direct connection to the organization’s strategic goals. If some ideas cannot be linked to any of these goals, then it’s not going to be a viable project. Expect that many concerns will come out in the open during the selection of projects. The team would, no doubt, put forward their area’s problems and their proposed course of action to get them solved. Remind everyone that projects should be linked strongly and directly to the company goals.

Second, the pitched ideas should have a strong and direct impact on the organization’s objectives. Some suggestions will be within the bounds of the “instant solutions are available” type, or they could be more like innovation projects. While each would have an impact, they could be very specific to one small area of the business. Other suggestions like creating a new product would mean less than actually improving the current product that is doing well in terms of sales. So as it’s likely to happen, there will be a good list of proposals, but each one must come with a specific impact on key business aims, otherwise, they would not qualify as a good Six Sigma project.

Third, the suggested project must be quantifiable. What must be done at this point is to list all critical-to-quality (CTQ) processes and evaluate instances where defects take place. The occurrences should come in statistical measurements, and the organization should agree on what level to attain at addressing the defects. This third criterion will likely come with immediate identification of which tolls to use in measuring defects, solutions and results. As it is, an experienced company statistician or accountant would be very helpful to the team’s discussion.

Fourth, consider the financial contribution of the project once it is completed. It should meet the company or business’ top-line growth or bottom-line profitability. Otherwise, the Six Sigma project proposed could be very costly, but the financial returns would be at a loss. Dig deeper into the other cost benefits, such as having a project that would cut expenses related to accidents, procurement of newer, safer equipment, etc. At the same time, consider that the Six Sigma project will result in a more efficient production process so that it helps boost monetary gains for the company. Hence, it’s important then that the organization chooses a project that could both have a strong impact on savings and profits.

Fifth, and last, consider the advantages it will bring to the pursuit of customer or traffic increase and retention. In the end, the project should satisfy the customers’ ever-changing needs and wants, so it would mean addressing issues related to process, production output, deliveries, etc.

A very good approach for selecting a good Six Sigma project is to brainstorm with the team involved, with the main goal of having a list of potential projects to thoroughly discuss and then rate. The results could then be presented to the executive for their approval, with the team highlighting the highest-rated proposals as the priority Six Sigma project. There should be criteria for selection, and it could be based on the five points mentioned above. At the same time, a scoring system and evaluation of potential projects should also be in place. In scoring, it would be easier and more reliable if each member of the team actually gives a score, instead of trying to achieve a consensus.

As for the team composition, note that there should be a good mix of representatives from all critical aspects of the involved processes. This means each should possess relevant knowledge and be well versed at discussing issues they want resolved. Ideally, those at supervisory and management levels for each important division would be good agents for the brainstorming.

]]>The Visual Workplacehttps://www.iecieeechallenge.org/the-visual-workplace/
Mon, 12 Sep 2016 16:11:48 +0000http://www.iecieeechallenge.org/?p=1163The need for continuing improvement in the workplace grew over the years with new methods and systems introduced by organizational experts. One hugely appreciated initiative is the “visual workplace”, which is used as both guide and key performance measurement in many companies, businesses and industries. The idea behind a visual workplace is that it helps boost performance and achieve optimum output. On the other hand, its implementation results in a decrease in motion and lead times, as well as a reduction in changeover times.

As an operational imperative, having a visual workplace means defeating waste, and hitting the scheduled goals on time. For experts in the field of operational organization, the visual workplace is all about having a system in place that is self-ordering and self-explanatory. Processes are understood, carried on and regulated through visual aids. At the same time, such a system is constantly self-improving so that inefficient aspects of any process are eliminated, and they are replaced with more workable, cost-efficient and safer measures.

Understanding the Terms

For many organizations, implementing a visual workplace as a system is an add-on to their already existing improvement initiatives. For the most part, their chosen method would be Lean or the Six Sigma. What many groups fail to see is that in itself, the visual workplace IS already considered an improvement effort. Meaning, it is a proven stand-alone initiative that, when properly implemented, can greatly help the organization achieve its goals for workplace management, safety efforts, production targets and improvement in performance.

The term in itself – Visual Workplace – puts forward a goal and a wide space for how it could be achieved. The idea of functionality is already in there where when a workplace is visual, then it works better and safer, for a shorter period and with les waste. Once a person steps into any visual workplace setting, they can see everything they need to understand the processes. Through what the person sees, he or she is able to understand the information and messages being delivered, including the answers to how, why, where, who, what and when. The visual workplace is largely considered transparent and self-explanatory where directions, processes and systems are readily available for employees and clients.

Understanding How It Works

The outcomes of the visual workplace are many. Work or services are performed or delivered efficiently, and specific goals for each process are achieved. This is achieved when items or mechanisms are designed and then placed properly so that they direct the routines of the employees. At the same time, such visual devices aid the clients’ or customers’ behavior – with very little need for actual verbal exchange. Where there would be queries, clarifications and other strings of communicating information, the visual workplace makes use of images to convey all of the messages that need to be known.

In a visual workplace, there are devices that translate the information that tells of the transactions, routines and assignments. They have visible meanings that are the actual instructions or directions. These meanings are the ones that tell what to do.

Four usual examples of the visual devices are showing status, the sharing of work priorities, eliminating or preventing defects and process problems, and providing easy and safe access. For the showing of status visual device, it tells the employees what to work on and the equipment, tools or group they would work with to accomplish a task. The next, which is more of a diagram, is the sharing of work priorities. In a glance, it displays the order of work to be accomplished. The most critical or top priority is colored or marked accordingly, and the rest of the priorities come with corresponding colors or marks as well. On the other hand, the visual devices tell of how to prevent defects, dangers or potential work disruptions. Finally, there are the visual aids, which speaks directly of providing access to the employees, the public and the vehicles. These devices come in forms of tapes, colored paint, symbols and stand-alone signs, and each one instructs about flow, directions, specific areas to pass or avoid, etc.

Attaining Consistency with Implementation

The most common issue with the visual workplace is the ever-changing setups at work. It could be the variations in physical arrangement, production schedules, alteration in processes or methods, or new workers. With such change, there must be an immediate and appropriate change in the visual devices as well. The changes could come every day, so it means an equivalent amount of work to ensure that the visual devices are kept current and accurate.

When information is missing or wrongly placed, the employees would be confused. To clarify matters, they would ask questions. So you see, when key information is not correct, is missing or outdated, the exact opposite of a productive and efficient visual workplace happens. The organization will then experience losses because of substandard output, late deliveries and long lead times. More so, it can be expected that there’s a tragic number in workplace accidents and injuries, along with damage in equipment, vehicles and the materials used in production.

All that said, it is important that the visual workplace practice is implemented consistently. In this way, the employees can efficiently carry on their roles and organizational targets are always met. There would, no doubt, be excellent quality output, with very minimal losses in terms of costs and expenses. The physical work environment would not just have a meaningful purpose and courses of action, but it will be kept safe, secure and hazard-free for the workers to give optimum performance.

]]>How To Use a Kanban Boardhttps://www.iecieeechallenge.org/how-to-use-a-kanban-board/
Wed, 07 Sep 2016 17:24:57 +0000http://www.iecieeechallenge.org/?p=1159The Kanban board has been used extensively in many Japanese businesses for many decades. Tracing back its history, it was practiced by Toyota in the late 1940s to improve their manufacturing and engineering activities. Actual cards were used by the employees to communicate with the group or workers who come next in line. A Kanban card tells the employees involved in the next step of a process that the preceding step has been completed. It’s like the card is a visual “go” signal. The Kanban system was put in place to standardize cues and refine processes, and this resulted to lower waste and maximized value in the production process.

As early as 2005, the application of Kanban became very popular in the United States. As a tool, it is used in the Kanban method that helps optimize work and process flow. These days, it is used in many institutions and businesses, and the board differs based on how it will be most effective. Its core principles are very much present even as the Kanban method has been redesigned to lean systems thinking. No matter the variations in use or design of the board or cards, Kanban is practiced to allow the whole workforce to visualize their targets, lessen the involved work processes, have more focus on the flow, and continually find areas for improvement.

Should We Use Kanban Boards?

The most common question after knowing what a Kanban board is its applicability in your own organization. Will it benefit us as it did others? Is there really a need to use the Kanban method or tools in our organization?

With so many aspects to workflow, processes, employees and targets, you could get all the help you need with just a Kanban board.

It’s like getting a simple, quick way to visually manage everything. You have most likely used a post-it note to remind you of the home chores. It’s also likely that on your PC monitor, there’s the virtual post-it that lists the activities you have to complete for the day. Well, that’s visual management – and that’s how a Kanban board works! It is very much the same within an organization where teams are kept informed and on pace with their progress. With Kanban boards as visual aids, the team will be able to understand more complex information. They are kept in the loop about tasks in process, completed tasks, and tasks that need to be done.

The Kanban board is put in one place so it’s not difficult to track any needed information. Everyone in the organization can quickly grasp high-value information. There is a great deal of transparency of how things are going and what issues are at hand, but so much less friction and time-consuming discussion is involved. It’s just one board telling everybody how things are around the office or workplace. It’s like getting the whole workflow optimized with just a few visual explanations.

So, How Do I Use a Kanban Board?

It all depends on whether you choose a physical Kanban board or a virtual one. Before deciding which way to go, you must completely understand the current workflow and production processes and visualize what happens in each step. Then there is the need to focus on what activities are actually involved in each of these processes. It’s then time to identify which activities could be altered and eliminated. You should also be ready for instances of qualifying progress and determining areas to be measured and improved.

An electronic Kanban board is a system made specifically for the computer. The one thing about this specific board is it can be used in the office or workplace, and it is highly helpful as well for those who work remotely. In the electronic or digital Kanban board, columns are made to represent a specific stage or process. For example, you could have the first column as “start”, the second column would be “in process”, the third column would be “on hold”, the fourth column “completed”, etc. Once columns are in place, you would use task cards that indicate specific activity at each process. Another option for task cards would be to assign specific employees or machines, tools or equipment that are used in the steps, processes or activities. Slots could also be used alongside the columns and task cards as they could indicate the time or period when a step or process is targeted for start or completion.

Of course, the digital version of Kanban boards would require that everyone have a computer and be online for routine checks of how everything is going. But what if you deem it fine to work without computers or the internet? That is fine – just take away the digital component and you still have a Kanban board. It can be made of any material but big enough for every visual element to be comprehensible for the employees or the teams. You can have the Kanban board right in the workplace, indicate the columns and all cards and slots, and there you have it! All that needs to be done is move the cards accordingly, and the whole organization would have an idea of what needs to be done, what’s going on and what has been completed.

Implementing the Kanban board in your business or organization will limit the amount of work in process. It would then help you and your team leaders match their actions to what is required, and only do things that need to be completed. This lessens excess production and waste of paid working hours and increases efficiency among your workforce. Now that you understand the importance of Kanban boards, you can start using one successfully.

]]>The Importance of a Positive Workplace Culturehttps://www.iecieeechallenge.org/the-importance-of-a-positive-workplace-culture/
Mon, 29 Aug 2016 16:04:06 +0000http://www.iecieeechallenge.org/?p=1154A workplace culture is the core of any organization, and it can spell success or failure. The character of any business and the personality of any company is its culture. It’s also what makes it unique. Suffice it to say that the total values, behaviors and interactions, the traditions and beliefs of an organization make up its culture. When an organization has positivity, that personality can help build the business and increase its success.

Many organizational and business endeavors begin with the ultimate goal of making it big in terms of production and profits. But they miss out on developing a healthy and worker-friendly environment. On the other hand, many more attain success by placing higher value on the workplace culture. This means there are instilled values and strong beliefs throughout the organization. This oneness paves the way for many businesses to prosper as the people labor efficiently and positively.

The question in mind right now would likely be: Why should my focus be on creating a positive workplace culture when things are going well for my business?

Well, that’s good news! Sure, many companies big and small would experience highs and gains at some point. But the thing is that success needs to be sustained. Many businesses like yours actually raked huge profits and were embraced by their target markets. But one little shakeup in the industry like new competition and or a shaky economy, and everything falters. Production goes down, clientele gets thin and then profits are slow to come in. These are definitely events any organization wouldn’t want to happen, and this is why a positive workplace culture needs to be in place.

In the United States, the top 100 best companies consider the workplace culture as the key to continued success. True, it does not prevent losses from taking place, but it sure holds any business above and ensures its steadfast place in the grueling challenges. Experts have long theorized that the best way to enhance and make stronger any business would be to create a positive workplace culture. The strongly built and unique norms within an organization have an immense effect on operations and production.

What Comprises a Positive Workplace Culture?

Vision and mission that is lived by. In any group with a goal, it must be laid out clear and understood by everyone. But a vision and its mission shouldn’t just be a few lines that are placed on the workplace walls. It must inspire because it’s true, and because the whole organization holds it dear. The vision and mission must be everyone’s commitment, and their daily targets must be solidly anchored on both.

Credible leadership and efficient management. Every organization has a leader and systems in place to get things going. But it should not just be any leader, and not just any management style, for that matter. The leadership needed is one that communicates with everyone so that the whole workplace appreciates and becomes committed to the organization’s goals and objectives. Decisions, feedback mechanisms and the sense of trust are something a good leader puts emphasis on. On the other hand, the management must be well understood, particularly systems of operations and the procedures and structures. All the people involved in the top two tiers must have strong interaction with those below them to be considered effective.

Practices, policies and philosophies in place. A standout characteristic of a successful organization is that they have clear-cut policies and practices in terms of performance and promotions, management, code of conduct, and training and development. At the same time, the workplace philosophies are in sync with the policies and practices, particularly in recruitment and hiring, promotions and additional compensations.

Open and efficient communications. The interaction between people in the workplace is very important. Gaps and faults within relations and processes take place when the people experience lack of communication. It becomes a source of toxic misunderstanding, ineffectiveness in processes, and defects in the end products or targets. But when open, efficient communications are in place, all these things could be avoided. The organization where people are heard and they are willing to listen has the biggest potential to succeed. This is because problems observed are addressed immediately, solutions put on the table come from everyone involved, and assessment of processes is carried out agreeably.

Healthy and conducive workplace. An environment that renders confidence and safety in doing work routines every day is something employees need. To achieve this means being able to provide sufficient spaces and equipment needed for them to be productive. They must be made to feel comfortable even as they’re bent on achieving the targets. There must be areas for basic needs such as clean and sanitized restrooms, relaxing lounges, and facilities where they can eat and have a health break.

We have seen how valuable it is to have a positive workplace culture. When something is amiss like non-responsive leadership, we can already surmise that the employees will be unhappy and the systems will be inefficient. Unclear vision and inconsistent implementation of practices or policies can lead to a dissatisfied and low morale workforce. When there is lack of communication or the work environment is deemed hazardous and unhealthy, we could expect failures, accidents and great losses.

On the other hand, when the five above-mentioned characteristics are present in an organization, the opposite happens. The whole workforce would be inspired, committed and trusted to efficiently carry out their roles and responsibilities. This further brings in stronger production, continuous improvements to the systems, and sustained growth for the business or company. Equally important, the brightest and most talented persons will want to stay and be part of the force that wants to attain the vision and mission they have come to embrace. From the outside, the organization will be very attractive to only the best talents. After all, the positive workplace culture will definitely standout!

Lean Six Sigma is the combined art and science of eliminating waste and variability in the production process. It’s a school of thought that involves years and years of practice, research, and learning to perfect. Even then, it’s more about the pursuit of perfection than ever actually reaching perfection itself – hey, there’s a reason it’s called ‘continuous improvement’, right?

Throughout a long Lean career, practitioners will find themselves under pressure to adapt and change. Often times, this means tweaking old tricks and strategies in order to satisfy a new boss (or an old boss’ whims). One week you are being asked to reduce labor costs by 10% without decreasing production, and laying Durastripe Floor Tape as a knee-jerk reaction to a forklift accident the following day. Now, however, the changes required of Lean practitioners might become more extreme, and more pressing with each passing year, or even month.

One indication of this, is a survey brought to our attention by LinkedIn poster Mikel Harry. The survey picked the brains of executives in the business world, and asked about their priorities for their companies moving forward. The most shocking finding – and one that Harry points out – is that 80% of people surveyed said their focus was now shifting to be on organic growth and developing a larger business, while only 20% said their focus was on cost cutting. “Cost cutting” is a staple of the Lean Six Sigma practitioner’s diet, and is part of the very definition of Lean.

In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at a couple of the reasons for this shift in recent years, and then take a look at how Lean experts might shift their own attitudes and practices to better adapt. Much of the changes have to do with learning to closely integrate Lean goals with a more traditional business lexicon.

Why The Change?

One of the most immediate reasons behind this shift in focus likely has to do with recent economic conditions. An economy in flux has rocked just about every sector, and reduced consumption has reduced production levels as well.

For the first time in quite some time, the economy has been experiencing recent upturn in the U.S. This is the perfect time for businesses to jockey for position and try to scoop up new and/or returning market share. Of course, cutting costs and improving margins as helpful, but it’s not the fastest way to grow your business’ market share.

Now, that’s not to say the two can’t go hand in hand. For example, trimming the fat in production can allow you more money to invest in product improvement or advertising, which in turn can help you reach more/new consumers. However, that’s a roundabout way of thinking, and far from the most efficient.

In short, the game has just changed, or at least it’s going to. An economic boom means that…

1. People, for better or for worse, aren’t as concerned as they were about pinching pennies. Micro adjustments might add up big in the end (we Lean’ers know this), but incremental changes aren’t going to be a top priority.

2. Small adjustments simply aren’t the obvious route to major company growth (or, at least, you’re going to have a tough time convincing a full-steam-ahead CEO that they are). Executives wanted to see their company getting out of its comfort zone and taking leaps and bounds. To them, Lean Six Sigma may seem too contained, meticulous, and minute.

All of that said, the world economy is still far from completely recovered, but even in smaller fluctuations, the genie is out of the bottle, so to speak. It seems that business leaders in general are restless, and ready to break out of the holding pattern they’ve been in for the past decade.

What You Can Do About It

Speak their language

Getting executives to buy into and put their resources toward supporting Lean Six Sigma projects was already hard enough, and to survive in the coming world of Lean you’re going to need to get even tougher. Actually, smarter would be more like it. One of the surefire ways to at least get someone paying attention is to speak their language, Lean Six Sigma practitioners can’t just stick within their own dialect anymore.

Being able to position your plans into the kinds of terms and numbers a CEO communicates in accomplishes two things. First, it gives them more clarity on what the heck it is exactly that you want to do, and what to expect from it. Second, and just as important, it shows that you’re putting in the same effort you expect out of them.

If you approach without fully examining and vetting your ideas from the perspective of the person whose support you’re asking for, you’ve essentially walked into a foreign country and said, “hey, you took some English in school, right? Good, I’m not even going to try and learn your language and culture then.” Basically, it starts things off on the wrong foot. If you’re on vacation, that might just mean some disapproving looks; at work, however, it might have more dire consequences for your career prospects.

As an example, Harry and others in the LinkedIn thread discuss being able to talk about how COPQ (cost of poor quality) factors into the overall NPV (net present value) of a company. Explaining how Lean efforts influence this is important.

Think bigger

If your CEO is thinking bigger, it might be time for you to get outside of your shell and do the same. Maybe you’re used to conducting projects in a certain way or on a certain scale; step them up as much as resources allow. You don’t want to get sloppy, but quicker, larger results may be the momentum you need to keep going.

This may also mean stepping outside of the strictest definitions of Lean Six Sigma as you know them. Your job title and description may even blur a bit as your focus changes. Remember, change is OK, it’s good even, and the last thing you want to do is become expendable by lagging behind or clingy to the old goals.

Hit the front lines

Part of this natural change as I see it will manifest in many Lean practitioners moving to the front of things. Specifically, they’ll likely be utilized further along in the product-to-consumer cycle. Want to be an innovator than impresses? Keep one hand on production, but also think about how Lean Six Sigma techniques could also be used to improve the marketing or advertising end of things?

Think about how you could better leveraging the resources in those departments to the utmost efficiency, or eliminating their waste so that they can do more in the same amount of time, etc. Being able to shift your mindset

Be one step ahead

All of these things are going to be more impressive and better received the quicker they happen. This is especially true if other people around you are dragging their feet while you man (or woman) up and stride forward! Even better, if you suspect that your CEO falls into the 80% looking to shift their focus to larger growth goal, suggest it yourself! Even nothing has been officially discussed, putting the idea out on the table first can be an interesting way to spark discussion.

What do you see as some of the biggest changes coming to Lean practitioners in the near future? Do you have or are you making plans to change the way you work?

Kaizen, commonly referred to as “continuous improvement,” proves very helpful in many workplaces. Businesses and organizations create cultures where employees constantly look for small changes they can make to improve the way the facility operates. Over time, these small improvements can lead to significant improvements in efficiency overall.

We always enjoy hearing about unique ways kaizen ideas have been used both in and outside the workplace. This week, we came across an example of kaizen thinking in a sushi restaurant, courtesy of Mark Graban’s Lean Blog.

Graban tells the story of eating in a sushi restaurant on a recent trip to Japan. Some of his dinner companions weren’t comfortable with the idea of eating raw fish. The chef started out by giving these diners a piece of cooked fish. Next he gave them slightly less cooked fish. Then fish cooked a little bit less than that. By the end of the meal, everyone was eating raw sushi and felt comfortable doing so.

This story illustrates that over time, people who might be resistant to a new food (or a new idea in the workplace) can adapt to that new thing. Small changes—rather than one big change all at once—make the transition easier. This seems like another benefit of a continuous improvement culture: people feel less shocked by drastic change.

Visit Lean Blog to read Graban’s entire story (and to take a look inside a Japanese sushi restaurant!).

Under its current leadership, the food bank’s workers have looked for ways to run their charity more like a business, improving food distribution and doing a lot with a small space. A recent article published by Fast Company describes a trip to the food bank last week on the Friday before Thanksgiving. Rather than a busy, chaotic warehouse, the article’s author found a calm workplace where most Thanksgiving turkeys had already been delivered to local food pantries and soup kitchens.

The Food Bank for New York City wastes very little food: less than one percent, according to the Fast Company article. Toyota engineers even visited one of the food bank’s food pantry locations, and using kaizen principles, the food pantry’s volunteers reduced the packing time for a box of food from three minutes to 11 seconds.

Stories like this one go to show that lean manufacturing ideas don’t just belong in manufacturing industries. They can make a significant difference even in the nonprofit sector.

To read the full article and learn the details of how the Food Bank for New York City tackles Thanksgiving, visit Fast Company.

3-D printers, the article explains, can make prototyping and customizing easier, which creates a less wasteful manufacturing environment. Additional benefits of 3-D printers are they can increase the consistency of products and ultimately lead to lower prices.

Lean tries to eliminate wastes in the workplace such as time spent moving products, time spent waiting for parts or equipment and products with defects. In-house 3-D printing may allow some manufacturing facilities to avoid waiting for items made outside the facility. It could also reduce problems such as defects.

It seems like 3-D printing may have some real potential as a lean manufacturing tool. What do you think?